The Pursuer
by LFMPMD
Summary: Running from an odd man, a girl has a dangerous secret that could raise Voldemort back to power when put in the when put in the wrong hands. Harry must help her along with Dumbledore to prevent the Death Eaters from obtaining the secret. R&R!
1. The Pursuit Begins

Hey guys it's LFMPMD! I'm going to be trying something new today; no wait, never mind, I suck at trying new things, and I don't want to mess this up . . .  
  
Oh yeah, and this story has my character, Lily Thatcher in it along with the rest of the characters. I don't know why, but I just don't like writing Harry Potter stories without a character that's not completely my own.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything affiliated with it.  
  
The Pursuer  
Chapter 1: The Pursuit Begins  
  
A girl wearing white pajama pants with yellow and blue star designs, and a yellow spaghetti strap top ran down the narrow alleyways of Diagon Alley on that cold, rainy July night. Her bare feet were covered in mud but she didn't have time to stop and wash it off. She had to get away; he was getting closer. She didn't know where to go, nowhere was safe. He could counter spell any of the spells that she used, so it was useless to fight him. She had to keep running.  
  
She eventually ran out of Diagon Alley, and into Knocturn Alley, hoping she would lose her pursuer in the process. She kept looking for a place to hide, but everywhere she looked there were shady characters and shops full of people, and those people didn't exactly look like the witch or wizard next door, either. They were all the worst kind of wizards and witches, with their dark magic and whatnot, so she couldn't go in there. She kept running until she reached the very end of Knocturn Alley, it looked like there was no other place for her to run, but then she noticed a small alleyway between to very dingy-looking buildings. She looked around to make sure that he wasn't following her, and when she was sure she was out of his sight, she bolted off into the alley.  
  
She ran until she noticed the alley came out to an opening. She slowed her pace and sheepishly made her way to it, to make sure nothing was there. She saw no one, but she did notice the rather large warehouse- looking building in front of her. She stopped and sat on a barrel to catch her breath. It felt like she had been running for ages. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall. She listened hard to see if he was approaching, she didn't hear anything, or did she? She thought she heard very faint footsteps, but she wasn't entirely sure. They sounded far-off, but she wasn't going to risk getting caught. She jumped up off the barrel and went into the warehouse.  
  
"It really is dark in here," the girl said, reaching into her pocket to get her wand. "Shit. I left it in my room at the Leaky Cauldron." While her eyes were adjusting to the dark, she attempted to make her way through the lobby area and hopefully into a hallway or something. Her hands were held out in front of her, groping around for a wall or door. She soon found a door, and opened it, not knowing how much time she had left before he entered the building. Her eyes were fully adjusted now, after she closed the door. It appeared that she was in a hallway, long and full of cardboard boxes. She heard a door close. He's here, she thought. She started to run, bumping into boxes, and knocking everything over as she made her way down the hall. THUD. "Ah, shit. Damn wooden crates! Now I can hurt myself even more! This is f-in great." She rubbed her knees then looked back behind her and saw a faint light from a wand. She thought it was kind of stupid he was doing that, you know letting the prey see the predator, but it made her happy that she was at least that far away. She started running again. She kept bumping into the big heavy crates and tripping on various things. She kept looking back over her shoulder to see where he was. It looked like he was at the door still but - - she heard something move behind her. It's probably just a rat or something.  
  
She kept going down the hall; she eventually came to the end where there was a door to her right. She opened it, stood there for a second then turned to walk to the center of the hall. She had to be completely positive he wasn't right behind her. The light from his 'wand' looked closer now, maybe I should go now. She turned to face the door, and started to take a step in that direction, but suddenly a hand covered her mouth and pulled her back onto one of the large wooden crates, at the same time a silky cloth was thrown over her, as well. Her captor pulled her close, hand still over her mouth. "Shh," he whispered, "You don't want him to find us." She nodded, she didn't know who he was exactly, but he sounded wicked familiar.  
  
The pair lay on the wooden crate for a few minutes before the light of her pursuer got near them. He was wearing a long, black cloak that covered his face, but she could tell that he was scanning the hidden crevasses between the boxes and crates for her. When he was satisfied she wasn't there, he proceeded through the door, and closed it. She started to sit up, but her captor pulled her back down. "Hold on a second," and surely enough, seconds later the door opened and her pursuer stood in the doorway. He looked around quickly and turned to leave again. After he closed the door, she sat up, pulling the cloth off her and her captor, "that was close." 


	2. The Leaky Cauldron

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter of The Pursuer! I totally pulled some stuff for this one, so sorry if it doesn't go by Harry standards.  
  
The Pursuer  
Chapter 2: The Leaky Cauldron  
  
She looked back to find none other than Harry Potter. "I had a feeling it was you," she said, jumping down from the crate. "What are you doing in here anyway?" He scooted to the edge of the crate, and folded the Invisibility Cloak. "I don't know. I just, I dunno had a feeling to come here, and I guess I was right to do so." He jumped down from the crate, "come on, we should go before that guy comes back." They ran off the way she had come in, and out into Knocturn Alley. They dodged around the sketchy wizards, and made their way back to Diagon Alley. "Lily, why exactly was that guy following you? Did you do something?" They stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts, "no, it's nothing like that. I have something that he wants is all, but I swore I'd never let anyone take it from me." She looked around, her eyes mainly focused in the direction of Knocturn Alley. "Shit!" Harry whipped his head around, but didn't see anything, "what, what is it?" She grabbed his hand, and they started running again. She lead him into the Leaky Cauldron, they went upstairs to room number fifteen. Lily patted around her body, "oh no, this is not good! I left my key in my room; let's go back downstairs to have someone let us in.  
  
She led Harry down to a person working at the Cauldron, "hi, umm I feel really stupid for asking you this, but," she giggled ditzily, "could you let me into my room? I had to leave in a hurry, and well, haha, I seemed to have left my key in my room." The man gave her a funny look, seeing she was soaking wet and partially covered in mud, and then said, "sure, what's your room number?" She told him. "Alright, let's go."  
  
After the man opened then door and let them in, Lily was quick to close the door behind them. She frantically searched the room for her key, and when she found it, she took a necklace and put it on it. "There. Now I can't forget it." She took some water and cleaned her muddy feet. "Uh, what do you have that that guy wants, if you don't mind me asking?" She closely looked at him, and walked over to her trunk and pulled out two large rolls of parchment. "What are those?" She sighed and placed them on the bed. "These," she began as she unrolled them, "are very special maps." Harry looked down on them, there was nothing written. He looked at her confused, he opened his mouth to speak, but Lily continued. "It's like the Marauder's Map, but more powerful. I honestly don't know much about it. All I know is that it is amazing." Harry stared at it, "well how does work?" She then knelt down at the side of the bed, placed her wand on one of the scrolls and put her face very close to it. She moved her lips as if she we saying something, but Harry heard nothing. She lifted her head, and proceeded to do the same to the next one. When she was done she moved out of the way so Harry could see what was happening. Writing and shapes started to appear on the two scrolls.  
  
He looked at the larger of the two; the one Lily had enchanted first, it appeared to be revealing Hogwarts, while the other was of Diagon and Knocturn Alley. Every room, crack and crevasse was there. There was amazing detail of each place; Harry sat there mouth agape. "Wow, look there's Dumbledore in his office, pacing like always. Hey, what the?" He looked up at Lily, and pointed to a spot on the map. "Those can't be dementors, can they? I thought - -" Lily put her hand over his mouth, "we need to tell Dumbledore." "But how? He's at Hogwarts, and an owl would be too slow." "Like this," she whipped her wand down to where Dumbledore was pacing, and said, "hablaré. Headmaster?" Harry looked at her like she had a billywig flying around her head. "Headmaster, it's Lily. We have a problem. Well, two to be exact. One: I'm being followed by some guy, I think he knows I have the maps, and two: dementors are in the school, and it looks like they're heading to your office, seeing they're starting to go onto that floor. There are lots of them, Dumbledore, and Harry and I aren't in a good situation either." She was quiet for a moment, "okay, we'll be ready in a few minutes." She took her wand off the map, "Harry, how fast can you get your things ready? Because Dumbledore'll be here in a few minutes to bring us to a safe place."  
  
She jumped up and put the maps back in her trunk, and then waved her wand and all of her belongings also went into the trunk. She put a locking charm on her trunk, and said "well, don't we need to get your stuff? Let's go then!" They left room number fifteen and went to room number seven, Harry's room. "Harry, you get your things ready. I need to go see a man about something downstairs." She flew down the stairs with lightning speed. She looked around to see if the stranger was there. From what she could see, he wasn't. Thank god, she thought. She now looked around to see if the 'man downstairs' was here. It should actually be 'men downstairs,' but Harry didn't need to know that, he was busy anyway. She saw over in the corner, two red heads shaggy in length. She went over to them, "Fred, George, good to see you." The Weasley twins both stood and greeted her with large bear hugs. She sat down, "so, I asked you two to come here today because I'm in need of some assistance. I need you two to find out who's following me and why. I think I know why he's following me, but I can't be sure quite yet. He's here in Diagon Alley looking for me, he's wearing a long black cloak, and the hood is pulled down so you can't see his face. There aren't too many people in Diagon Alley who look like that, so it should be rather easy to find him."  
  
"We'll do it," George began and then Fred continued, "but we'll have to discuss payment." Lily went to reach into her pocket, but remembered she had none, "well, how much do you want then? I've got more than enough money to give you." The two Weasleys chuckled, "we don't want money as much as we want you," George said, and Lily shot up straight in her chair. George was then smacked by his brother, "sorry 'bout George. What he meant to say is we want you to come work with us. At the joke shop, that is." She sighed and sunk back down into her chair, "I think that's possible. We'll have to discuss the fine details later. I've gotta go back upstairs."  
  
She entered Harry's room, and helped him drag his trunk, and Hedwig's cage into her room. "Okay, just two more things," she said as she went under her pillow and retrieved two large, old-looking books, and stuffed them into a messenger bag she had. "So, exactly how is Dumbledore going to get here?" There was a loud 'pop' behind them. They both whipped around, and saw Albus Dumbledore standing in front of them. He was wearing an emerald green robe, and matching hat. His half-moon glasses were falling to the tip of his nose; he pushed them back up. "Hello, Harry! I wasn't expecting to see you here. Now, are the maps in a safe place?" Lily nodded, "good. Do either of you know how to Apparate yet? Wait, you'll be able to do that this year so never mind. Take one hand and put it on your belongings, and give me the other. All ready? Good." There was a pop, and they were gone.  
  
A billywig for all those who don't know is a small insect from Australia. If you'd like to know more about it go get 'Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them' by Newt Scamander. 


	3. The Dementors

Okay guys haven't even looked at this one for a while, so best get started up again. Oh and this is completely unrelated to anything, but isn't masticate a funny word? It means to chew, but I bet you were thinking something else. Dirty, dirty little freaks. So on to the story . . .

Chapter 3: The Dementors

There was another pop and they felt a hard floor beneath them. Lily looked around; it appeared they were in Dumbledore's office. "Um, Professor? I thought no one was able to Apparate into or out of the school because of some spell that was put on it." He looked at the girl, "well that's partly true. A spell was put on it, so that most people can't Apparate in and out of Hogwarts, but I'm not most people." The two students put their trunks down, "why don't you get the maps out then? Harry take out the Marauder's Map too." They did as they were told, and they both activated their maps.

On both of the maps of Hogwarts it clearly showed that the dementors were outside Dumbledore's office. Both of the children looked at Dumbledore; he was as calm as a cucumber. "Professor, what are we going to do? There must be at least two hundred of them out there," Harry said with fear in his voice. He never did like dementors. "We shall fight them, it is as simple as that." Lily let out a small cry. "Do not worry. I believe you both know the Expecto Patromun so you should have no problem defending yourselves while I go take care of something." He put his finger on the Marauder's Map; it seemed that Lucius Malfoy was in the school, the seventh floor to be exact. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow the Marauder's Map, Harry. And Lily, put those maps under the Sorting Hat, they'll safe there. Get ready because the dementors will be breaking in soon." There was a pop and Dumbledore disappeared. They looked to the other map of Hogwarts to see Dumbledore reappear on the seventh floor.

A crash came downstairs; the dementors had broken in. Lily quickly deactivated the maps and put them under the Sorting Hat on Dumbledore's desk. "Are you ready for this?" She asked as she took her spot next to Harry. She looked at him; he was obviously scared to death. "Me too," she replied, "I've never fought a dementor before." An eerie smile crossed Harry's face, "trust me, it isn't that fun. You gonna feel like there's no happiness anywhere, so think of the strongest, happiest thought that you have. Oh, and it's best to believe you can conjure a big one, just think that you've done it before." She nodded just as the first dementor came through the door. The cloaked figures quickly surrounded the pair. "Expecto Patromun!" Harry cast at about twenty of those vile creatures. The students were casting left and right, but the dementors just kept coming. As they were casting, the dementors were also sucking their life away, so it became increasingly harder to defend themselves. Harry and Lily were leaning up against Dumbledore's desk, when from behind them a pop came. They both turned to see: Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Elphias Doge, Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Sturgis Podmore, and Hestia Jones. This group, Harry recognized as the people that had taken him from Privet Drive last summer. "What the bloody hell are you all doing here?"

"Saving you two, what else?" Mad-Eye Moody said, as his magic eye swirled quickly. The group quickly started fending off the dementors as they mad their way down the stairs on either side of Dumbledore's desk. They formed a semi-circle in front of the students, as Lupin and Tonks went to Lily and Harry. "Here," Lupin said reaching into his pocket, and retrieving chocolate, "this'll help." Tonks giggled and said, "is that your answer for everything? Chocolate? I'm sure the woman you marry is going to love you. I know I would." Lupin gave her an odd look, and then joined the others fighting the dementors. Tonks stayed with them on the floor. "Tonks, how did you get in here?" She smiled and replied, "Dumbledore let us in. He has the power to take down the Anti-Apparate Shield whenever he wants. Oh and what do you think of the hair?" It was a bright orange. "It's definitely bright," Harry said. "Couldn't lose you in a crowd," answered Lily. The three chuckled for a moment and watched the others as they ate Lupin's chocolate. It seemed most of the dementors were gone. "Harry, wish to do the honors?" Lupin inquired, as he helped the boy to his feet. "What? Oh, get rid of the rest of them? Sure, I think I'm strong enough. EXPECTO PATROMUN!" The stag that Harry had first conjured in his third year came from his wand, and the remaining dementors retreated.

"Good one, Potter," Mad-Eye said, "best be off then." He was about to Apparate along with the rest of them, when Lily yelled, "wait! We have to wait for Dumbledore!" They all looked at her like she was nuts, "Dumbledore's not here," Kingsley Shacklebolt said. "Yes he is! I'll show you!" She went to the Sorting Hat and retrieved the maps, "hablaré." She looked to the seventh floor to see that Dumbledore was still there with Lucius Malfoy. "See? Here's up stairs with Mr. Malfoy." She showed the others. "I guess your right. Remus, Dedalus, Sturgis, Hestia, and Emmeline go back to the safe house and tell the others what's going on. Tonks, Kingsley, Elphias, myself and the students will go up and help Dumbledore," Mad-Eye commanded, and the others nodded in agreement. "Harry, Lily, do be careful," Lupin whispered as he walked to them, "oh and I'll take the maps if you don't mind. They'll be safer with us until you get to the safe house." Lily nodded and handed them over. The group of five Apparated leaving Harry and Lily with the other four, "well," Elphias said, "lets go up to help the Headmaster then." The others nodded in agreement and they all exited the office and ran up the Grand Staircase to the door to the Seventh Floor. "Are your wands ready?" Mad-Eye queried as he opened the wooden door. Lily and Harry looked to one another before entering; they weren't sure what to expect with Lucius Malfoy.

So, is it really necessary that the six of them go help Dumbledore, probably the most powerful wizard around? Not really, but they probably just want to kick Malfoy's ass. Review and stayed tuned for the next chapter!


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